First night in the onsen village

October 20, 2025 – Late Afternoon in Nyuto Village

Kyukamura Nyuto-Onsenkyo (休暇村 乳頭温泉郷), a medium-sized inn within Towada-Hachimantai National Park, is not a traditional ryokan, but part of a chain of "relaxation villages" established by the Japanese government in the postwar period to provide equal access to nature for the public.

We stand in front of a small wooden sign by the roadside in Nyuto Onsenkyo Village. The sign reads "Shin-Oku no Hosomichi" — the narrow path to the new northern region. At first, I thought it was just the name of a hiking trail, but it's actually the nickname for a long nature trail called the Tohoku Shizen Hodō (東北自然歩道), a hiking project connecting mountains and villages throughout the Tohoku region.

This section of the path passes in front of the Kyukamura Hotel and leads to the Sendatsu-dai (先達台) viewpoint, where visitors often stop to gaze at the lake in the valley. The name "Sendatsu" means "spiritual guide"—a strange allusion to the tranquility of the forest onsen.

Tucked away between tall forests, Kyukamura is as serene as any other place in the valley. We entered the lobby as the last light of day faded behind the pine trees.

Our room was a traditional Japanese tatami room, and the light from the windows revealed the shadows of the trees swaying in the cool breeze. In the dining room, we requested a last-minute reservation. Due to the high demand, the hotel was fully booked, so we had to make three half-hour sessions: 6:00 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:00 PM. The local cuisine was carefully presented—grilled river fish, fresh tofu, wild mushrooms from the valley, and fragrant, freshly cooked rice.

Even though we weren't staying in the legendary house tonight, But we're in a simple place, with hot water flowing from beneath the mountain into the hot springs—quiet enough to hear my own heart beating in the warm water.

The beauty of Nyuto Onsen isn't confined to the wooden houses or snow-covered hot springs. It's also in the rhythm of the seasons, on the rain-soaked wooden walkways, in the silence yet to be replaced by the sound of engines.

Tonight, I have to excuse myself to the onsen, as the accommodation doesn't have a bathroom. I'll be using the onsen room instead.

#NyutoOnsen #Akita #AutumnJapan #JapanOnsen #TravelJapan #JapaneseOnsen #onsentrip

Post by Mr. Choon | Oct 23, 2025